Yuri Mikhailovich Baturin
Yuri Mikhailovich Baturin is a Russian lawyer, political official, author, and cosmonaut whose two short-duration missions made him one of the unusual crossover figures in human spaceflight. He flew after serving in senior Russian state roles, including national-security work in the presidential administration.
- Born
- June 12, 1949
- Died
- N/A
- Birthplace
- Moscow,Soviet Union
Flights
2
Spacewalks
N/A
EVA time
N/A
In space
19 days, 17 hours, 44 minutes
Bio
Baturin studied at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and built a career in law, journalism, and public service before cosmonaut selection. His route to space was not the classic pilot or engineer path, which makes his record stand out among Russian cosmonauts.
His first flight, Soyuz TM-28 / Soyuz TM-27 in 1998, took him to Mir as a research cosmonaut during the final years of the station. His second, Soyuz TM-32 / Soyuz TM-31 in 2001, was an ISS visiting mission that also carried Dennis Tito, the first self-funded orbital space tourist.
Baturin's two missions belong as short visiting flights with different launch and landing Soyuz vehicles. His career connects Russian politics, law, Mir's final years, early ISS visiting missions, and the beginning of private orbital spaceflight.